Are prescription medicines "commercial" products?

Senior Member

Hi, if a survey asked "Have you bought a commercial pharmaceutical ointment in the last six months?", would you answer "Yes" if you had obtained (paid for) a pharmaceutical ointment prescribed at the hospital?"

Senior Member

Thank you both very much. We Japanese often compare (in Japanese) "prescription medicines" and "commercial medicines" (e.g. "Which is cheaper, prescription medicines or commercial medicines?"), but I suppose in English this comparison would be wrong, and you'd instead ask "Which is cheaper, prescription medicines or non-prescription medicines?" (I wonder if "is" is correct in this question, since you would say, for example, "Prescription medicines are usually cheaper than non-prescription medicines.")

Senior Member

"Which is cheaper, prescription medicines or non-prescription medicines?" (I wonder if "is" is correct in this question, since you would say, for example, "Prescription medicines are usually cheaper than non-prescription medicines.")